Tenchu: The Mark of the Devil
by Cirieneve
Summary: This is set 2 years after Tenchu: Birth of the Stealth Assassins. Villages are mysteriously being attacked and Lord Gohda is trying to protect them. He sends Rikimaru, who finally manages to save one person, a teenage girl by the name of Amaya. Amaya struggles with her sense of self, while Rikimaru struggles with his own decision. Whether or not to train this girl as an Azuma...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Burning Village

The village glowed, lighting up the night sky a demonic orange. Rikimaru, master of the Azuma ninja clan, rushed towards it, cursing. The bandits had attacked again. Lord Gohda was just about to assign him a mission when Counsellor Sekiya rushed in, frantically saying something about a village nearby. Lord Gohda had ordered, "Save whoever you can."

Rikimaru stopped outside the village. Other than the crackle of hungry flames the village was completely silent. Something was wrong. Even if the bandits had already left, the village would not have been this silent. He entered the village, taking out Izayoi. Corpses littered the ground, the stench of blood and smoke overpowering everything else. He continued deeper into the village, searching for any ki that would indicate a survivor. A flicker. He looked around, trying to pinpoint it amid all the bodies. There was the source. A middle aged man had been viciously slashed across the chest.

Rikimaru crouched down and asked, "Who did this? Bandits? Do you know?"

The man nodded, then said, "It was-" The man shuddered violently and coughed up blood. He opened his mouth and coughed up some more.

Then, he finally managed to say, "It was the akuma. Kill the akuma when you see her." The man slowly moved his hand and pointed. Then, the light faded from his eyes and his hand fell to the ground with a thud.

Rikimaru stood up. He couldn't understand what he had just heard. Akuma... That meant demon. As far as he knew, there wasn't any ninja clan named the Akuma. He ran in the direction the man had pointed. There was no point in hiding himself, majority of the people were either dead or dying. He had to find this "Akuma" before she escaped.

Amaya stared at the carnage. Bodies all around her. The corpses of people she knew, surrounding her. What had happened? She didn't know. She racked her mind. Amaya had fallen asleep... Then she heard yells and shouts and her mother was dragging her out of bed and telling her to hide and... She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. She had to search for her mother. She had to make sure her mother was alright. There had been the most noise near the plaza. Yes. Her mother would be waiting there.

Amaya dashed to the plaza, trying not to look at the bodies piled one on top of another. The world around her turned into a blur and moments later, she arrived at the plaza. She scanned the plaza for a sign, any sign of her mother. Someone was calling her name. She ran towards the sound, slipping and falling in the blood on the ground. Finally, she found her mother, Shizuka. Kind black eyes gazed up at her from a face covered in blood. Her clothes were ripped and blood oozed slowly out of numerous wounds.

"Amaya," Shizuka strained to say, "You're safe. That's good..."

"Mother..." Amaya whispered in horror. There was no chance of survival. There was so much blood. Why would someone do this?

"Amaya, you must get away from here. You need to leave me here. It's not safe," Shizuka said calmly.

Amaya stared blankly, unable to understand what she had heard. She had to... leave? Leave her mother? No. She couldn't. She...

Her mother's voice interrupted her inner turmoil, "Amaya, you must listen to me. You are the last one left in the village. You must escape, understood?" Shizuka reached and brushed Amaya's bangs away, tracing the intricate mark on her forehead.

Shizuka whispered softly, "Amaya... You were given this mark because when you were born, someone at a temple saw death and destruction in your future. That is why you were marked this way... With the mark of the devil. The demonic mark was meant to warn people away from you... You must be careful..." A sudden shudder went through her body and she coughed up blood.

"Mother!" Amaya said in alarm. She panicked, looking for something to stop the blood pooling around her mother.

Shizuka struggled to breathe as she said,"Amaya... You need to know something. I am not your mother. Your mother was my friend and she begged me to look after you. Her name was Kagura, and she told me your father's name was Suzaku. I'm sorry for telling you this now... But I wanted you to be happy for a while longer. You will be seen as akuhei... But remember... No matter what happens... You will always be my hikari, my nozomi..." Her mouth lifted up in a smile as she said her last words.

Rikimaru paused. He felt someone's ki. It was quite close. Running in the direction of the ki, he used his grappling hook and climbed up onto a rooftop that had somehow escaped the flames around it. He continued onto a few more before he saw a plaza. Silently, he jumped down from the rooftop and landed. The entire area was slick with blood. Bodies were everywhere. This must have been where the man had been pointing to. He looked around, scanning the area for the ki he had felt and searched for this "Akuma". There was a someone crouched beside a body...

Evil. Light. Hope. The words repeated themselves in Amaya's head. She was evil... But Shizuka thought of her as a light... As hope. A new word popped into her mind. Hollow... She felt so hollow. Everyone was dead... No... Wait. What was that? She stood up, turned, and saw a man. He was dressed in a dark black. Her eyes ignored what he was wearing and focused and on the weapon in his hand. It was dripping blood... Her mind screamed at her body to move. This man... Did he kill everyone? His clothes had bloodstains on them.

He came closer to her and she backed away, searching for anything she could use to defend herself. She wouldn't die. She had to get away, she had to escape.

Rikimaru froze as the person stood up and turned to look at him. How had she known he was there? A girl looked at him, barely glancing at his face and staring at Izayoi. He paused, studying her. Her clothes were those of ordinary peasants and blood was splattered all over her body. Raven black hair grew to nearly her waist and her bangs were close to her obsidian black eyes. Full lips... Why did she remind him of Ayame?

Rikimaru gave himself a mental shake and realized that the girl was still staring at Izayoi. He glanced down himself and saw that the blood the man had coughed earlier was all over it. He winced internally and took a step forward trying to explain.

"I didn't kill the villagers," Rikimaru said, "Lord Gohda sent me to search for survivors. Please, can you tell me anything about the... akuma?" He hesitated, uncertainly gauging the girl's reaction. She had been backing away, but now she had stopped. She raised her eyes to his face. Underneath her bangs... What was that? Rikimaru blinked. It must have been a trick of the light. But he swore he had seen some sort of... symbol.

Amaya was still searching for a weapon when the man started to speak. He sounded... like he was trying to calm her down.

"I didn't kill the villagers," he said, "Lord Gohda sent me to search for survivors. Please, can you tell me anything about the... akuma?" She finally tore her eyes from his sword when she heard the last word. Akuma. Demon. She had the mark of the devil. Someone had blamed her. Almost everyone blamed her in the village... And now this man too? She at his face, trying to see if he would hurt her. The first thing she noticed was his hair. It was completely white, and grew up to his ears. A distinctive scar ran over his right eye and a mask covered the lower portion of his face. She hesitated, fighting a mental battle with herself as she looked at the man. Should she tell? But... She would die.

"Don't kill me," she said. She had tried to say them confidently but had barely managed a whisper. There was a loud crack, and Amaya looked up to see a flaming beam tipping. She felt the heat of the flames and for a brief second, saw a silhouette on the roof. Then, there was nothing.

Rikimaru was startled at the girl's words. The repeated themselves in his mind. Don't kill me. Don't kill me. Why on earth would those three words be the first one's to come out of her mouth? He had said that he didn't kill the villagers. But the look that had briefly flashed across her face when he had said "Akuma"... What was it with this girl?

He had been temporarily lost in thought when a loud crack pulled him away. A large beam falling on top of her. Moving quickly, he dashed across the small distance between them and pushed her away, shielding her body from the flaming debris. She landed a distance away, unconscious.

Rikimaru looked at the girl. Lord Gohda had wanted him to save whom he could... But that symbol... He walked towards the girl and knelt beside her. Gently, he brushed away her bangs from her face. An intricate symbol was there. Sharp angles, beautiful loops and curves. He stared at it for a while, admiring the work of whoever had created it. Then, realizing where he was, Rikimaru carried the girl in his arms and headed back to Lord Gohda's palace.

Author's Note: I haven't written anything in a while, so feedback is welcomed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Lord Gohda

Ayame detected Rikimaru's ki. His ki... And one other. She had heard of his mission. Save as many as possible. Only one... How strange. She sheathed the blades she had been sharpening and placed the sharpening stone back on it's shelf. Who did Rikimaru bring back? And why did only one person survive? Her curiosity getting the better of her, she headed towards Lord Gohda's palace. She had promised Kiku she would visit.

Rikimaru walked in and knelt before Lord Gohda. The candlelight flickered and he saw that Ayame was already standing beside Princess Kiku. She probably sensed the girl's ki and wanted to see who he had saved.

"My lord," Rikimaru said, "When I arrived at the village, the majority of them were already dead. I found one survivor and I've taken her to Miyuki. A villager blamed the "akuma" before he died." He hesitated. The mark on that girl's forehead...

Lord Gohda nodded and stood up, saying, "This girl should be fine with Miyuki. Ayame and Rikimaru, please go back and rest. I will visit this girl tomorrow." Recognizing that they were dismissed, Rikimaru and Ayame left the palace.

Ayame flew through the trees, Rikimaru following close behind. There had only been one survivor... Ayame wondered how the girl had survived. What would they do with this girl?

She looked back at Rikimaru, then said, "How old is this girl?"

Rikimaru replied, "I'd say about fourteen or fifteen. Why do you ask?"

"You aren't thinking of training her as an Azuma... Are you?" Ayame demanded. Silence.

She looked back again. Rikimaru's expression gave nothing away. She stopped. They were at the edge of the Azuma village. The glow of torches lit up the village and she saw that Miyuki was still awake. She turned around and looked at Rikimaru.

"Rikimaru... You are thinking of training her aren't you? You do know that the chances that she will even be able to go through the training are very low..." she prodded. Her statement was greeted with more silence. Irritated, she jumped from the tree branch she had stopped on and landed on the ground, heading towards the village. A quiet rustle told her Rikimaru and followed in suit. The two of them walked to Miyuki's place. Standing outside, Ayame could see the old woman moving about.

"Miyuki-sama, may I come in?" Ayame asked softly. The old woman didn't like it when people barged in.

"Ayame! Yes of course dear. Are you hurt?" Miyuki said as she opened the door, "Ah. I see. You have also heard about the girl Rikimaru rescued. Come in. I believe she will wake soon. There were no serious injuries, just a few scratches and some burns. Do be a dear and ask Lord Gohda to provide some clothes, the majority of hers are covered in blood." Ayame walked in and looked around. There were herbs and potions stored everywhere and rolls of bandages were neatly arranged on the shelves. In the next room, there were two beds; one was already occupied.

"Ayame, sit down and have some tea. I'd ask Rikimaru to come in, but it seems he needs some time alone," Miyuki said. Ayame wondered how the old woman was so perceptive. Sighing softly, she sat down.

Rikimaru stood outside, lost in thought. Ayame's questioning had made him wonder... Should he take this girl as an apprentice? The Azuma ninja clan had only two members... Him and Ayame. There had been Tatsumaru... But that was in the past. He walked a distance away and sat beside a tree. He had no idea how to train anyone... And a girl... A kunoichi needed use everything at their disposal. How was he supposed to teach her how to seduce others? It wasn't like Ayame knew how...

Rikimaru smiled beneath his mask. Ayame... She was so stubborn. Why was she so fixated on whether or not he would train that girl? It occurred to him that he had never asked her how she felt about being a kunoichi. It would be unfair to the girl if she didn't want the life of a ninja. He sighed softly. She would have a choice. And Ayame wanted her to live a normal life. He couldn't blame his clan sister for that. He stood up, and headed back towards Miyuki's house.

The first sensation Amaya felt was the unceasing throbbing in her head. Then, as she became more aware, she realized how sore the rest of her body was. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, recalling what had happened. Shizuka was dead... Her mother, the one who had taken her in and taken care of her... Everyone in the village...

She slowly sat up. The soft glow of candles lit up the room and the scent of various herbs drifted towards her. Blinking, she looked around and saw the silhouette of two women. Where was she? Amaya paused. Was she in danger? No, that would be irrational, for someone to help her and then try to kill her. However, she had no idea who these people were. She scanned the room once more, and found a kunai lying near her. She took it, and hid it up her sleeve. Just in case.

Rikimaru walked back to Miyuki's door and knocked. He heard soft laughter as the old lady said something to Ayame then footsteps as she walked towards the door.

"Rikimaru, always such a gentleman. I already knew you were there. After all, the girl you rescued is here. Ah, but you don't need to listen to an old woman blathering. Come in, come in!" Miyuki said, smiling. Rikimaru nodded and walked in. The scent of candles drifted towards him. Ayame was sitting at the table, drinking tea, her face calm.

"Rikimaru, sit down and join us," Miyuki said, getting another cup and pouring tea. He obeyed and sat, glancing at Ayame to see if her anger had diminished. She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. Miyuki sat down and looked between the two of them, then smiled.

"Rikimaru, Ayame... What has been bothering you two?" Miyuki asked gently.

"He's thinking of training that girl as an Azuma," Ayame replied monotonously. Rikimaru looked at her, trying to decipher her feelings.

"Well, I don't see why not," he replied, slightly defensive. Miyuki looked between the two ninja, then smiled.

"I don't see what the fuss is about. Why don't you ask her? I'm sure she's up by now," the old lady said. Miyuki stood outside the doorway leading to the bedroom, slid open the door a crack and looked in.

Amaya tensed as she heard the murmur of voices fade and then footsteps approaching. To her surprise, an old lady with kind eyes looked in. She was dressed in a white kimono and her hair was tied up in a neat bun. She smelled faintly of lemongrass.

"You're up! That's good. Now my dear, there's some visitors outside. Do you want to see them?" the old lady said. She seemed genuinely happy that Amaya had recovered. Amaya blinked. Where was she? Who was this? Then, her mind finally registered what she had heard and Amaya quickly nodded. There were more footsteps and a young woman walked in. Amaya paused, looking at her. This woman was dressed all in black. Another ninja? She had just begun to look at the woman when another person walked in. It was the man she had seen in her village. She tensed as his words drifted back to her. He was Lord Gohda's ninja. Lord Gohda... These two were the Shadows of Gohda?

The old lady spoke once more, "These two are Rikimaru and Ayame of the Azuma Ninja Clan. My name is Miyuki. Rikimaru brought you here so I could heal you. Don't worry, you are safe. My dear, what is your name?" Amaya tilted her head and looked at Miyuki. Then, she looked around for something to write with. She would not speak in front of these strangers. She would not let her words betray her and tell them that she was the akuma.

Ayame watched as the girl studied her and Rikimaru. Her eyes were blank, revealing nothing as she tilted her head when Miyuki spoke. Then, she looked around, searching for something.

Finally, she wrote, "My name is Amaya. It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for saving me." Ayame blinked in surprise. A peasant that could read and write was quite rare.

Beside her, Miyuki smiled and said, "You're very welcome Amaya. How are you feeling?"

"Only a little sore Miyuki-sama. Ayame-sama, if you were wondering why I can write, my mother taught me," Amaya wrote. Ayame blinked, embarrassed that her curiosity had been so evident. Behind her, Rikimaru said nothing. Ayame glanced back, but Rikimaru's expression was hidden by his mask.

"Amaya, you should rest for a bit more. Rikimaru, I will inform Lord Gohda. You should ask Miyuki to tend to your wounds," Ayame said, then walked out of Miyuki's house.

Rikimaru watched as Ayame walked out. He was puzzled. Amaya... She couldn't speak? He had been so sure she could... So why was she writing everything down? Rikimaru met her eyes and tried not to flinch. Her eyes were blank, showing nothing, but he felt like he was being examined. Miyuki tended to a few scratches on his arm from the burning beam.

As he stood up to leave he said, "Amaya... Take care of her Miyuki-sama. Tomorrow, Lord Gohda will come and visit." The old lady nodded and smiled.

Amaya lay back down and tried to control the vortex of emotions swirling within her. Rikimaru Azuma... She had heard of him. And his clan sister Ayame... Ayame had seemed so strong and sure of herself. She wished that she could be like that... She could have protected Shizuka. Shizuka... Her foster mother... And Suzaku... Her father...She closed her eyes and wondered why she had been left alive. Of everyone in the village... How ironic it was that the devil's child was the only one left alive. Had she really brought down such destruction?

She opened her eyes as Miyuki knelt beside her and asked, "Amaya, I don't mean to pry... But have you always been unable to speak?" Amaya looked at the old lady, then shook her head.

"But then... Why are you writing everything down?" the healer asked in confusion.

Amaya hesitated, then finally wrote down, "I will speak to someone when I feel I can trust them..." Miyuki read this, and smiled.

"Child, I hope one day you will speak to me," she said gently, "For now though, please rest Amaya."

As usual, Rikimaru woke at dawn. He washed and put his clothes and mask on, still puzzling over Amaya. Walking over to the storage room of weapons, he decided to sharpen his blades. Ayame would be up soon. Maybe they would train for a while before Lord Gohda arrived.

An hour later, Rikimaru heard a voice say, "Well, you've been busy." He looked back. Ayame was standing there in the doorway, her usual sarcastic self.

"You're up," he said.

"Well, how did you expect anyone to sleep with that racket? I bet even Lord Gohda's going to come down and complain!" Ayame complained loudly. Rikimaru smiled. He was glad she still had such spirit, especially after Tatsumaru...

"Let's go train Ayame. It might help you wake up," he teased, smiling.

"You're on!" Ayame said, walking out into the empty area behind Miyuki's house.

Amaya woke up to the sound of steel clashing. She sat up and looked beside her; Miyuki was already up. Looking out the window she saw two figures sparring. Rikimaru and Ayame... They moved so fast and had so much power. A feeling surged from within her and Amaya realized that she wanted to be like them. To be able to protect what she cared about... If she was like them, she could have saved Shizuka. She wouldn't have needed to hide like a coward. Her hands involuntarily curled up into fists and she took out the kunai she had hidden the night before. If only... if only she didn't have to be so weak.

Hours later, Miyuki walked outside and announced Lord Gohda would be arriving soon.

Rikimaru and Ayame both looked up, and then Ayame said, "Let's call it a tie." Rikimaru sighed. Ayame always liked to pretend that it was a game. He nodded, and returned to his quarters, taking a short bath and changing his clothes.

Another hour later, Lord Gohda arrived with Princess Kiku. Her laughter drifted down to the village, and Rikimaru smiled beneath his mask. The princess' joy infected almost everyone.

"Rikimaru! Ayame-oneechan!" Kiku giggled, running up to both of them and hugging them.

"Hime-sama. It's good to see you too," Rikimaru said gently.

"Can we go play?" Kiku asked her father, and smiled when he nodded.

"Rikimaru, Ayame, I leave her in your care," Lord Gohda said. Rikimaru nodded and followed Ayame and Kiku.

Amaya heard the sound of laughter ringing throughout the village. It was such a joyful sound... Who was it? Voices drifted to her, getting closer and closer. She looked at the kunai she had been unknowingly playing with and placed back where she had found it the night before. Footsteps outside... Then, the door opened and revealed a man.

Miyuki looked in and said, "There she is, Lord Gohda. She's doing quite well. You'll have to excuse if she won't talk though. She'll write down her answers." Lord Gohda nodded and she saw that he was dressed very finely. Lords... Why were they always such preening fools? Anyone with a bit of status in her village had shown off...

She tilted her head and looked up at him, wondering what he was doing here. After all, he had better things to do other than look at a peasant girl. She looked at him in the eye. She could read eyes very well... They revealed many things about a person, and to her surprise, she saw nothing but concern in his.

"Hello Amaya," Lord Gohda said softly, "I am very sorry about your village. I am currently investigating who is doing all of this. You see, your village is not the only one that has been attacked. But you are the only survivor. I suspected bandits, but this seems far too harsh. I am sorry for disturbing you, but do you know anything?" Amaya blinked. Lord Gohda... He was different from the other lords that had passed by in her village.

Then, realizing what she had heard, she wrote, "Lord Gohda-sama, thank you for sending Rikimaru-sama to save me. Unfortunately, I do not know who did this to my village. If there is any way I can help, please let me know." Lord Gohda paused for a minute as he read her reply.

Then he nodded and said, "For now, please rest. I will let you know if anything else occurs."

Amaya quickly wrote, "Goodbye, Lord Gohda-sama." Then, she stood up and bowed as he left. Guilt gnawed away at her as when she sat down. She was the akuma... The one the villager had blamed. But if she told anyone, they would hurt her... Just like before.

Rikimaru looked up as Lord Gohda arrived at the beach. It was a very short walk from the village, and Lord Gohda had apparently walked the entire way.

"My lord," Rikimaru murmured respectfully, standing up and brushing the sand off himself. Ayame and Kiku's laughter drifted up to him and he smiled behind his mask. At least those two were having a good time.

"Rikimaru, I've spoken to Amaya," Lord Gohda began. Rikimaru could not mask his surprise. Amaya had actually spoken?

"Amaya wrote that she had no knowledge of who destroyed her village. It seems our only lead so far would be this 'akuma'. I will have Counsellor Sekiya investigate for some clues. For now though, you and Ayame deserve a break," Lord Gohda continued. Rikimaru felt a fleeting disappointment. Had he imagined Amaya's voice? Could she truly not speak? Lord Gohda walked further down the beach and warned Kiku away from the deeper water, leaving Rikimaru to contemplate the current situation.

It felt like she was being ripped into pieces. Amaya closed her eyes in frustration as she stood in the village, breathing in the fresh air. She was the akuma, the one Lord Gohda was searching for. But she was also the girl who had been saved... She opened her eyes and noticed a building. The door was slightly open, and inside, she saw the glint of light off of something metal. She hesitated, then walked inside.

Weapons surrounded her, along with a spot to sharpen the weapons. Swords gleamed in their spots on the wall. In a corner, shuriken, kunai, and other assorted throwing items were neatly categorized. The amount of weapons stunned her. Then, she realized what she would do.

Night fell in the village, and Ayame was in her quarters, getting ready to sleep. She had such fun with Kiku today. Rikimaru of course, had been his usual self and just sat in the sand, occasionally checking for intruders. As if any would show up. Kiku had discussed with Ayame the current tensions in the kingdom, and the potential threats. She had been a little shocked at first, but at least Kiku was growing up and starting to realize her place in the world.

Ayame glanced out the window at the half moon hanging in the velvet sky. Her thoughts wandered from Princess Kiku to Amaya. How unlike they were. In status, in personality. Amaya was quiet and reserved... Or at least, as far as Ayame could tell. Her thoughts turned back to Rikimaru. Was he seriously going to train Amaya? She would have to be very talented in order to be successful. After all, most aspiring ninjas started at an early age. She sighed softly, then washed up and slept.

A soft rustle as she picked up a pack lying around in Miyuki's house. Amaya froze. Then, continued to make her way to the storage room that she had seen. A weapon would do. She quietly opened the door, then selected a few kunai and a short dagger. It would have to do. She walked to the village's exit, then looked back.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly, with only the bright half moon and the stars and witnesses of her departure.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Akuma

For once, Ayame woke up earlier than Rikimaru. He woke up to Ayame's voice yelling at him to get up. He sighed internally, wondering if he would ever have her respect as the leader of the Azuma. Probably not. Words dully registered themselves in his mind. Amaya... Gone... Note... Weapons... He shook himself, then muttered something unintelligible to let Ayame know he was awake. He quickly washed and got dressed, then hurried to Miyuki's.

When he arrived, Miyuki was holding something small.

"It's addressed to you Rikimaru," she said softly, her voice full of tears. He took the small thing she was holding and realized that it was a note. He unfolded it and read; Ayame peeking over his shoulder.

"I am sorry for my deception, however, I felt that my life was in danger if I revealed this before I could travel. I can no longer lie. I am the akuma," was what the note read. Rikimaru turned to Ayame, who was already fuming.

"TWO DAYS. She stayed for two days. And she thought she was in danger?!" she muttered angrily.

"Well... We are ninja," he replied, unsure of how to calm her down.

"And she took weapons! Does she even know how to use one?!" Ayame continued raging, "Come on Rikimaru, we have to find her! It's obviously your fault. You questioned her didn't you! Not to mention she has our weapons!"

"I-" Rikimaru protested, but was cut off as Ayame dragged him off in search of the runaway.

Amaya looked around at the remains of her village. A layer of soot and ash had settled over everything, covering the village in a soft blanket. Only a few days ago, the village had been bursting with life. She closed her eyes, trying to remember her memories of the village. Her happiest ones were always with Shizuka... The rest... She shook her head, clearing it. Where had her house been? There. The fallen beam had not burned completely. She cautiously crawled into the burnt shack, and saw to her surprise, that a chest had survived. She had been told never to touch the chest... Amaya leaned closer, and saw that the lock had been melted off. She reached out and opened the chest.

A gleaming blade. That was what she saw. Beautifully carved symbols shined in the metal. Inside the chest was a sword, a ninjato to be exact. Amaya stretched out her hand to touch it, then drew it back as she wondered why Shizuka would have such a thing. She looked around in the chest, and saw a few other assorted tantos and daggers. Underneath one of them, was a note.

It read, "Shizuka, I thank you for taking care of Amaya. I leave my weapons with you to pass on to her when she knows that I am her mother. I currently have a mission, one I know is suicide. But my lord commands it, and therefore, I will obey. Thank you for being my friend for all of these years. Somehow, I will find a way to repay you." On the bottom, it was signed Kagura. Amaya read the note several times, trying to find something familiar, something that would indicate that Kagura was her mother. But she found nothing. She touched the blade again. This was her mother's ninjato. Her mother had also been a ninja. She took the weapons out of the chest, and put some of them in her pack. The ninjato she carried on her back using a piece of rope. She stood up, then froze as she heard voices outside.

"Come on Rikimaru. Hurry up!" Ayame snapped as she ran.

"Where are we going to go?" Rikimaru asked, then slammed into Ayame as she suddenly stopped.

"Her village. That's probably where she'll be. She's our only lead to the destruction of the villages and you scared her away!" Ayame said angrily, frustration rising inside of her. Rikimaru considered her answer, then took the lead.

An hour later, they arrived at the destroyed village. In the ash, Ayame saw a set of footprints leading into the village. They looked fresh. Amaya was still here. If they could catch her... And then question her... Maybe they could figure out who was doing all of this. Ayame walked into the village, walking softly on the layer of ash. Rikimaru followed close behind until they arrived at the spot where Amaya's footprints stopped.

"Amaya?" Ayame called softly, "Amaya, we know you're there. We won't hurt you..." Rikimaru was silent behind her.

Amaya paused as she listened carefully. Ayame was calling her name, telling her that she was safe. False promises. And then they would try and hurt her, just like some of the people in her village. She sorted the weapons she had taken from them, wrapped it in some cloth, and threw it outside. She had found a weapon of her own. Then, she slipped out through a crack at the back and looked for a place to hide.

Rikimaru winced as the clank of metal echoed from the cloth. The weapons would need to be sharpened again. Ayame cursed loudly and Rikimaru smirked.

"Alright. That girl is the most distrusting person I have ever encountered! Rikimaru, you found her, get her back! We need to know what happened!" Ayame said, exasperated. Rikimaru raised an eyebrow. Now Ayame was asking him for help?

"Oh all right. I'm sorry for calling you an idiot. Even if it is true. Now go. I have to go and inform Lord Gohda," she muttered grudgingly under her breath. Rikimaru, satisfied with what could pass as an apology, headed around the burned area to find Amaya.

Amaya had taken refuge in a bamboo forest right beside her village. She would be a bit safer here. Ayame and Rikimaru were most likely tracking her down. She sat behind a thick cluster of bamboo and rested, her body alert.

Rikimaru searched for her ki. It was not very familiar, but in an abandoned place, it was the only one. He followed her ki to a bamboo forest. He sighed. Bamboo forests never brought back any good memories. He headed in and continued to track her ki. It was close.

"I know you're there Amaya," Rikimaru said, "Could you come out?" His question was replied with silence.

Rikimaru closed his eyes, then said, "If you won't come out, then will you at least say why you ran away?" More silence.

Rikimaru turned and was just about to walk away when a soft voice said, "I felt danger." He turned around and say Amaya standing a careful distance away from him. The ash from the village had coated her in a thin layer of black and gray smudges. And strapped to her back... Was that a ninjato?

"Why?" Rikimaru said, treating her like an animal, trying not to scare her. Her eyes revealed as much as they ever did, which is to say, nothing.

"I am the akuma. People have tried to kill me before," Amaya said, an odd smile on her face as she assessed Rikimaru's shock. People had tried to kill this girl... And she had survived?

"Why didn't you speak before?" Rikimaru asked, curiosity plain in his voice.

"I didn't trust you. I still don't, but this was necessary," Amaya replied, edging backwards. Rikimaru sighed. He couldn't force Amaya to come with him. Lord Gohda did not order him to bring Amaya back. There was some rustling and Ayame appeared, panting.

"Oh good. You found her. Lord Gohda says he wants to ask her something. We have to bring her back," Ayame said between gasps. She had run as fast as she could back to Rikimaru. Amaya's whole body tensed, her eyes full of suspicion and distrust.

Rikimaru said, "I'm sorry." Then, he darted forward and tried to knock her out. Amaya had anticipated his move and slid out of the way quickly. Rikimaru tried, and failed to hide his shock. She was fast, faster than Ayame. How had she gotten so fast. There was a blur and he saw her already running through the forest. Cursing, he gave chase until there was a dead end. Amaya drew the ninjato on her back and he saw that it shone eerily, sending chills down his back.

He took out Izayoi and said, "Let's see if you can use that sword." After a few slashes, Rikimaru was surprised. The girl was better than most peasants who had never handled a sword. However, she was still no match for him. There was a soft thwack, and she crumpled, unconscious once more.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A Soft Voice

Darkness. There was nothing, nothing around her. Then, a soothing voice. Words that couldn't be heard, muffled. But there was something... A scent, something that reminded her of... Of... Shizuka...

Amaya opened her eyes, and found herself staring at the ceiling. A very familiar ceiling. She tried to sit up, but she couldn't. Her body was paralyzed, and she began to panic.

Then a gentle voice said, "Child, you should not have left when you still needed to heal. I have concocted something that will make you unable to move for a while. Please rest."

Miyuki walked over as she said this, holding something in her hand. She lifted Amaya's hair away from her neck and tutted. "That Rikimaru... I told him to be gentle," she muttered before placing some strange packet against Amaya's neck.

Someone knocked, and Miyuki left to welcome them. There was a sound of voices, but it was too low for Amaya to hear what they were saying. Then, footsteps approached. Ayame and Rikimaru stood above her looking down, Miyuki following, seemingly continuing on their conversation.

"... Told you to be gentle and she comes back with a bruise on her neck and all over her body! I swear Rikimaru, she got more injured with you and Ayame chasing her than she did when bandits attacked!" Miyuki was still saying, berating the two.

"Hey!" Ayame said in protest, "I didn't knock her out! Blame him for knocking her out and letting her fall on the ground!"

Rikimaru said nothing, only looking at the girl who stared mistrustfully up at the three of them. He sighed, then said, "Thank you for taking care of her Miyuki-sama. Ayame, I need to talk to you, lets go outside."

The two ninjas left, and Amaya was again alone with Miyuki. The old lady began her work, mixing herbs and brewing something. Finally, she held something up to Amaya's lips. "Open your mouth dear, I only paralyzed your lower body. This will help you recover and sleep." Amaya obeyed, and she fell back into the darkness with that soft voice.

As Amaya was swept into oblivion, Ayame and Rikimaru stood outside, arguing.

"What do you mean you want to train her? Do you even know what your saying anymore? She's the sole survivor of an attack by bandits, the one who's been blamed by the dying villagers for the attack, mysteriously in the possession of a ninjato, and YOU WANT TO TRAIN HER?!" Ayame said in disbelief.

"Yes," replied Rikimaru, "I want to train her. The Azuma Clan must continue on - "

"Oh it's for the CLAN now is it? Put the clan before everything else, even if most of the evidence points to her as a suspect for the bandit's attack! She's in her teens for god's sake. How do you even expect her to be able to train under you?" Ayame interrupted.

"I never said that," he muttered.

"Never said what?" she demanded, anger rising.

"I never said that she would be training under me," he replied, a slight hesitation in his words. There was a shocked silence. Rikimaru looked at Ayame, trying to gauge her emotion. The anger that was present in her features before was now gone, and now she revealed nothing. After a very long silence, Ayame finally said, "Ask her then. She should have the choice. And I'm not training her all by myself. If she agrees, then I'm dragging you into this too. And you should tell Lord Gohda."

Rikimaru breathed a soft sigh of relief, glad that his partner had finally agreed. He smiled under his mask and then said, "Thank you Ayame."

She looked away, then said, "I'll be with Kiku if you need me."

The two ninja parted ways, Rikimaru heading to Lord Gohda's Palace. He informed the Lord about Amaya's condition, then spoke of his request to train Amaya. To his surprise, Lord Gohda smiled, and agreed to his idea, provided that the girl wanted to be trained.

Rikimaru, glad of the decision, left Lord Gohda's Palace, and headed back, listening to Kiku and Ayame's laughter as they spent their time together. He kept watch on them, up on the roof, listening to the bright laughter. Did Amaya ever feel this joy? Did she ever have moments of this happiness? Even Ayame... She was the happiest when she was with Kiku. And as for himself...

Rikimaru shook his head, clearing it of his thoughts. These kind of thoughts were useless... And he didn't even want to know how he would have answered that question...

He stayed there, keeping watch over Kiku and Ayame until sunset, when Kiku had to leave. Ayame then joined him on the roof, sitting beside him and looking at the setting sun. The two figures clad in black were bathed in the rays of the setting sun.

"Ayame how do you feel about being a kunoichi?" Rikimaru asked suddenly.

Ayame, thrown off guard by the sudden question found herself answering, "I don't know. I've never known any other way of life." Rikimaru, disturbed by her answer, turned to face her. He studied her, and realized she was speaking the truth.

"Do you... Do you regret it?" he asked hesitantly, fearing another explosion. He was curious though. He and his clan sister often bickered, and it was rare that they would talk about how they actually felt.

"Regret? Of course not. I wouldn't have been able to survive this long if I didn't. And I would have never been able to meet Kiku or Lord Gohda or Master Shiunsai or Tatsu...", she said smirking as she said, "Or you I guess." Rikimaru sighed. She always had to get the last word. Typical. And he was used to it. But either way, he was glad that she included him in the list. At least that meant she had some level of respect for him.

"Come on Ayame, it's getting late. We should go back and check on Amaya," he said. The two of them ran, seeming to become one with the long shadows in the sunset, running back to their home.

Tomorrow... Tomorrow they would ask her. Tomorrow they would see if a new Azuma needed to be trained.


End file.
